The City of Greater Bendigo has joined forces with 23 other Victorian councils to push for stronger sustainable design standards within Victorian planning laws.
The City has collaborated with the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) in partnership with 23 other Victorian councils to pursue changes to the planning scheme to include elevated sustainable design requirements in new developments.
The City and all the councils involved in the project have today jointly lodged a planning scheme amendment with the Victorian Government that seeks to introduce a new planning policy that elevates Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) requirements for new commercial and residential buildings and encourage a move towards zero carbon development.
Together with the proposed planning amendment, Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf has written to the new Minister for Planning, the Hon Lizzie Blandthorn, asking for her support of the amendment and to acknowledge the current planning laws do not reflect the urgency needed to tackle climate change.
After the Victorian Government's recent implementation of Stage 1 of its ESD Roadmap (by making changes to the Planning Policy Framework in the Victoria Planning Provisions), the City sees this planning amendment as the next step in sustainable design requirements with detailed, measurable targets that will deliver meaningful outcomes in practice.
Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf City said these proposed changes were a key part of tackling climate change with real world tangible actions and work towards achieving net zero carbon emissions across our community by 2030.
"The City has joined forces with 23 other councils from across Victoria to progress this important work towards creating zero carbon buildings and urban places," Cr Metcalf said.
"We are seeking an amendment to the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme to support the delivery of sustainable development. In doing so, the proposed amendment aims to protect the natural environment, reduce resource consumption, reduce running costs and support the health and wellbeing of future residents.
"We want to see elevated sustainable design become a key action item in the planning scheme to help make net zero in new builds a reality across Victoria and collectively we are advocating for the changes at state level.
"This project also highlights the importance of our role in local government to push for real action on climate change in creating resilient and zero carbon buildings and urban places including new commercial and residential developments."
Under the proposed changes, new developments would:
- Produce net zero carbon emissions
- Reduce household bills by making buildings more energy efficient
- Provide a healthier and more comfortable environment for building occupants
- Better manage water quality, use and collection
- Protect and enhance greening and biodiversity
- Be more resilient to changing climate impacts
The City has collaborated with councils from across the state on the project, including the City of Ballarat, Banyule City Council, City of Bayside, City of Boroondara, City of Darebin, Frankston City Council, City of Glen Eira, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Greater Geelong, Hobsons Bay Council, Knox City Council, Maribyrnong City Council, Mitchell Shire Council, Moonee Valley City Council, Moreland City Council, Mornington Peninsula Shire, City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington, Strathbogie Shire Council, Warrnambool City Council, Whitehorse City Council, Whittlesea City Council and the City of Yarra.
